Spring 2018 CityStudioSTL Faculty Course Grants

Taught by assistant professor Catalina Freixas and Mark Abbott of Harris-Stowe State University, the second iteration of this course seeks to examine the role of planning and design in fostering and maintaining segregation in American cities, including St. Louis. Students will create specific neighborhood plans to address challenges facing St. Louis communities, supported by mentors from both design and the humanities. This is the third year this course has been offered, and it has previously been supported by both CityStudioSTL as well as the The Divided City, a four-year urban humanities initiative organized by the Sam Fox School and the Center for the Humanities in Arts & Sciences, with support from the Mellon Foundation. More information about The Divided City is available here. New this year, 12th graders from Metro High School will collaborate with students enrolled in the course on the planning for the neighborhoods. The University of Missouri-St. Louis and Saint Louis University will also be invited to participate and enroll their students. In addition to its close partnership with member organizations of the St. Louis Association of Community Organizations (SLACO), the course will also partner with government organizations like the St. Louis Housing Authority and East-West Gateway.

In this graduate workshop for Master of Fine Arts candidates, professor Ron Fondaw builds on his years of experience guiding students through the research, development, and production of new, site-specific works for the facility of a local St. Louis organization. In fall 2018, students will work with Paraquad, a local organization that empowers people with disabilities to increase their independence through choice and opportunity. Paraquad recently completed an addition to their headquarters at 5200 Berthold Avenue, and they contacted Fondaw seeking advice on activating the space. In this first collaboration, students will identify specific sites in the building and create pieces that respond to the context, people, and experiences in Paraquad’s facilities. Over the course of the semester, students will meet with both clients and staff at Paraquad, present their proposals, and fabricate and install their final pieces. Previous iterations of this workshop have partnered with a day home for adults with autism and the Washington University Infectious Disease Clinic.

CityStudioSTL supports a series of community engagement and outreach projects that bring together students in architecture, art, and design with partners in the city of St. Louis. It is generously supported by Gina and Bill Wischmeyer, BA69/MArch71.